Life from the People
by Joe JS Smitty
Summary: Multiple journal entries collected throughout Morrowind, recapping serious, and not-so-serious events that changed the world around them. Entry 2-Gindrala Helen
1. Default Chapter

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and all names mentioned hereafter is property of Bethesda software.

Journal Entry 1: So it begins

16 Last Seed

I awoke this morning in a manner that I was much accustomed too. The morning dew was lightly spread on my window, and I could smell Elone's fresh morning bread and flin from the other side of my door. Arrille, the tradeshop's owner, is so kind to have allowed me to stay in his shop until I can pay my way to Vivec. I have already mentioned this several times, but he is a very nice, very handsome man. I am quite taken with him. As I begun to dress, I could hear Fargoth arguing with the local guards. Even after six months those guards are still ruthless in tormenting that poor man. Them and Hrisskr, they never give the poor man a chance. But I am not one to quarrel over such affairs, the guards are quite nice once you get to know them, and Hrisskr, although a little rough around the edges, is just as sweet a man. Elone greeted me as I walked out the doorway, her and Colollius. That man never leaves the tavern. Elone tried to give me some bread, crab meat, and brandy wine without paying, but I could never do that to her or Arrille. Seyda Neen is such a small town, and being the only store within twenty miles out of anywhere around here, I must give my fair share.

Speaking of fair share, I had noticed that Processus Vitellius, the tax collector for the Empire, had been missing for about a week or so. I am not the only one, many other people around here have noticed as well, as well as many of them believe someone finally did the man in. Not that I would blame him, the way he pranced about like the cock of the walk around here, but murder is still a horrible thing, and I would not wish that on anyone. And according to Thareve Vendrano, the lighthouse keeper, Processus was a good man. Perhaps he is (or was) and he was just a little too flamboyant for the folks around here.

I spent most of the morning just straightening up the place; all there ever really is to do around here. Dust collects on unused items, and the armor and swords begin to dull and lose its shimmer, but Arrille refuses to let me do much with them other than clean them and organize them, says that beautiful women should not handle weapons of destruction. Yes…quite taken. All was going very routinely today, until around mid-afternoon.

Socucius Evgalla, a high head with the Empire who manages, amongst other things, the outlanders that first step foot here in Morrowind, announced that a former outlaw who had been pardoned by the Emperor was being ferried here from the mainland. Sellus Gravius, a more respected man around Seyda Neen had confirmed this with us. It's not that Socucius is a bad man, but he seems to have other motives behind his actions. We all knew there was something that they were hiding from us, but if it was such a secret that Sellus would keep it from us, we don't intrude very far. Fine-Mouth, the town's only Argonian (a very funny person by the way, is great with jokes, but a bit of a lightweight with the flin), was the first to see the boat arrive in the dock. He walked into the tradehouse, like he does every day and like everyday I get Elone's finest bread out for him. He told us he saw the ship during his morning swim (that and the slaughterfish were going crazy), and he estimated that it would arrive in several hours. Much like Fine-Mouth predictions are, he was correct, and the ship docked and approximately 3:00. It wasn't much later than Fargoth walked into the store, cheerful as always, and proclaimed that the "new guy" was "dern swell." Apparently he had found Fargoth's ring in a barrel outside of Gravius' house, and happily returned it to him. He asked Arrille to give him a discount if he should come in, said Seyda Neen was just a quick stop by, and he was heading towards Balmora soon. Fargoth and Arrille had known each other for the longest time, them and Hrisskr. Along with Tandaram Andalen, Elone, and Raflod, they got together every other day for some gambling and fun. I don't approve a gambling, but I've sat in on a few of their games, it's more about fun than money. Well, except for Fargoth and Hrisskr, those two are always at each other's throats when it comes to their gambling debts. Arrille happily agreed, and Fargoth threw the ring up in the air, kissed it, and walked out, proclaiming he'd never let it leave his sight again.

Immediately after Fargoth left, the outlander walked in. He was a Redgaurd, tall and stout, with a head full of short, thick red hair. He wore ragged clothes, much like most outlanders do when they first arrive, and he had a very calm, very gentle aura around him. He smiled at me, not saying a word, and I smiled back. He walked up to Arrille, who very gently said that he didn't recognize his face, and that he must be a outlander. The outlander replied with a smile, "That I am." He then laid gold on the table, about 100 pieces worth, an iron dagger, and some old, but still good, roots and herbs. It took Arille no more than ten seconds to tally up the total, around 115 gold pieces worth. But considering that he had helped Fargoth, he said he would make it around 130. The outlander looked around for a bit, and began going over the swords and armor. It was strange, a man who had never stepped foot onto Morrowind before this day was already plotting to use weapons. But it seemed that it was not because he wanted to wield a sword, he acted much like it was his duty. He picked up a rusted iron cuirass and iron katana and politely said "These will do." Arrille took his money and items and wished him a good day. The outlander then packed his new equipment away, and walked upstairs, saying how he wasn't able to eat a thing on the boat. I listened from downstairs, but I couldn't hear much. All I really got a good listen to was Hrisskr's bellowing laugh, so the outlander made a few friends. He stayed around the shop for about a hour or two, and then he left. An outlander new to Morrowind probably doesn't want to stay in a small village on the Smuggler's Coast for very long.

17 Last Seed

Processus is dead! This comes as a surprise to me, but then again it doesn't. Talk around Seyda Neen had always been how they wished he was dead, and that if he flaunted his money one more time they would do him in, but I never suspected anyone to actually commit it. Most of the town when they first heard the news didn't take much thought to it. They said that it was only a matter of time, but Seyda Neen has always been a quite place. Of course, what's just as surprising, was that it was the outlander from yesterday who found him. Apparently when he left our store the other day, he took a walk around the area. What with the mudcrabs, the rats, and the occasional alit, we don't even venture far from town for those who live here. But for an outsider to walk in the middle of the wilderness, much less find the body of a man he didn't know and report it….

There were suspicions at first, but Socucius denied it all, and Gravius confirmed it. Said that the outlander had never been to Morrowind before, had always been locked up most of his life on the mainland. And Socucius, although not a very respectable person, was a respectable alchemist, and he said that Processus had been dead for over a week, so it couldn't have been the outlander. Questions arose, but no one really knew who would do it. There had been many motives behind it, for many people, but it was impossible to pin the blame on just who did it. When Thareve heard the news, she was heart broken, she didn't leave the lighthouse all day.

For the first few hours of the afternoon, everyone seemed to move slower. Not mourning slow, but cautious slow. There was a murderer in our midst. As the sun became low in the sky, Arrille asked me to run an errand for him, and give Thareve some of the store's bread and brandy wine. I happily agree.

But as I walked out of the store, a peculiar sight crossed my eye. Forvyn Gilnith was outside his hut, chatting with the outlander. I couldn't help but watch, something was out of place. Forvyn was a bigot, didn't care for outsiders, yet he was engaged in conversation with one. I was about to turn away when I saw, just around the house corner, Fine-Mouth. He was listening to them. I myself hid behind a shack too. The conversation lasted for about ten minutes; they were discussing the murder of Processus. Forvyn said he was grieved, but he didn't sound it. All of a sudden Forvyn shouted, and I saw that the outlander was holding something in his hand high above his head. I could barely see Fine-Mouth's face in complete surprise. As the outlander opened his hand, the last remaining light bounced off of the ring in his hand. Processus' ring. Forvyn was the murderer. He turned to Fine-Mouth and said, "Do you recognize this?" Forvyn's jaw dropped, and Fine-Mouth nodded, said that was a present from Thareve to Processus. Forvyn jumped. The first punch squarely landed on the outsiders jaw, as he stumbled back, as Fine-Mouth gasped. Forvyn said that he was next when he finished with this n'wah. There was another glimmer of light, and a smear of blood. In one clean swipe, the outlander, with the sword he had bought from Arrille just yesterday, cut deep into Forvyn's throat. He collapsed, dead. In Morrowind, it is not against the law to kill a man if he attacks you first. Self-defense is not punishment. The outlander then called me over, and whispered to me to keep this quiet for a while. He didn't want to draw much attention to himself. Both me and Fine-Mouth complied.

That night, he actually did leave Seyda Neen this time, Eldafire said she saw him heading towards the silt strider dock as night fell on us. The rest of the day was pretty much normal as usual, Fargoth had burst in saying that someone stole, not only his ring, but all of his gold and several lockpicks that he keeps around. Hrisskr got a good laugh out of that.

But the oddest thing, right before the shop closed, four Khajit walked into our store. They were in terrible shape, possibly slaves. They wanted a place to stay for the night, but they said they had no money, just the shirts on their backs. They willingly offered to work for their services, they said they were used to manual labor. Arrille asked if they were slaves, they said they were. Arrille then asked if they were runaway slaves, they said they weren't, that they were freed just an hour ago from their captors. They mentioned Addamansartus, and no further inquiring was needed. A band of thieves had been holed up in there for the past few months. Although us here don't really enjoy the idea of slavery, the fact that it is legal is reason enough for us not to interfere further. But thieves and smugglers…if we could, we would rescue all the slaves from them. They get nothing but torture from people like them. Arrille said he would be glad to offer them a room, free of charge, and they were all ecstatic about it. But as I walked up to my room, I heard Arrille ask them….

"Who freed you?"

They replied….

"A friend Redguard."

End story

If there is a particular quest or event in Morrowind that you would like displayed here, don't hesitate to ask. My e-mail is


	2. The Vampire Hunter

Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and all characters aforementioned are properties of Bethesda software.

Journal Entry #2: The Vampire Hunter

1 Rain's Hand

I have lived many years on Morrowind. I am not an old bat yet, but I am getting there. But if there's one thing that I distinctly remember from my time in Balmora, Vivec, and Ald'ruhn is that I do not believe in the existence of vampires…that is to say, I did not believe in them.

I had heard many tales, many stories. I had even caught glimpses of the forbidden book "Vampires of Vvardenfell II". But as I have never seen one, for that matter never heard of one in the region in which I stayed, I did not take much thought to their existence. So when I heard that the "vampire" hunter, Ano Vando was coming to town, I was skeptical of the whole ordeal.

He stayed for about a week's time, if I recall. He was a very handsome man, albeit very obnoxious. He flirted with all the young women around town, mainly Aryni Orethi. He'd ask for free drinks from The Rat in the Pot, said that he was doing Morrowind a big favor, and this was a way to repay their debt. But oddly enough, everyone went along with him. The women kindly blushed with his advances, and Lirielle Stoine and Aengoth were more than willing to share their drinks with him. Only Hanarai Assutlanipal, a tamed Ashlander, and myself seemed to be able to see his apparent trickery of Ald'ruhn. And since Hanarai doesn't do much else than stay in her house, I had to take action.

I remember very distinctly what I said to him, told him that he may have the rest of them fooled, but not me. I did not ask, I demanded that he leave immediately. As I waited for a foolhardy response and an insult to my character, he just stared at me blankly. Imagine my surprise when he said that I was right, that he was squandering too much out of this town, and would leave by mid-noon tomorrow, today that is.

Today, the beginning of the sandstorm season went together like any other day. The only thing different was that Ano was leaving today. Most of the townsfolk were upset with me, told me I had no right to tell him off like that, that I was behaving like an old hag. But I didn't care; I just wanted him out of my life. We had seen many visitors come and go, the years that I've lived in Ald'ruhn, and this one I thought was going to be no different than the others. I was mistaken. 

Louis Beauchamp, an Imperialist who had just came in from Solstheim was trying to make conversation with me, but it's impossible to follow that stuttering buffoon. Ano was making passes at all the local women who had gathered to greet him off. Typical of the short time I knew him. He was very pleasant and elegant with all of them, the only redeeming quality I did think of him, even if his intentions were impure. Most of Ald'ruhn had been there to see him off, which actually surprised me. I thought that maybe I was wrong about him, then the door to the Mages Guild opened.

I cannot describe what ran through my body. It was pure…terror. And all I did was heard the door open. But I knew…I could say truthfully…that I was in the presence of an omnipotent evil. Louis must have felt it to, because he stopped talking. I slowly turned my head and in the doorway, out of the light, a large orc stood, covered head to toe with orcish armor with an orcish battle-axe in his right hand. I'll never forget what I saw next…he stepped out of the door, and his skin began to burn.

What a horrible smell! I can still smell….

Excuse me…it's best if I do not mention that….

I cleaned up my mess, so I may continue. As I was saying, smoke began to billow off of his exposed skin, even his eyes. It looked so painful, but he…it even took the time to stop and glare directly at me…as if I was a piece of meat. It snorted, then called out to Ano.

As one, all of Ald'ruhn hushed…and as one they all cowered away from Ano. Ano didn't budge, the innocent, perverted smile slowly melded away into an unforgiving frown.

"Who sends you," Ano asked.

The orc grunted, wiping his nose. He didn't speak as he raised his axe in the air. Ano's brow furrowed, as he prepared his mace.

It was all so quick…all so fast…that's probably what made it more horrifying. The orc's axe came down so hard on Ano's shield that it held fast in it. Ano didn't flinch as he swung his mace back to strike…it was in a perfect position too….

But the orc was too fast…faster beyond mortal limitations…and even stronger. His bare fingers pierced Ano's armor and plunged deep into his stomach. Even as its skin began to melt away from the sun, he was horrifyingly strong. Ano stood there, the breath taken from him. His mace hit the ground like a rock, that being the only noise heard. Then the orc let go of his axe, pulled Ano close, and bit into his neck.

The entire crowd gasped as Ano's body began to shrivel away into nothingness, and the orc's body began to rejuvenate itself, even while it was being burned at the same time. Then it let go of Ano, who was now just a pile of skin and bone. The orc…the vampire ran along the entire crowd, as if it were picking out other people it wanted to feast upon. But it didn't do anything, as he reached into his armor, and pulled out an amulet hanging around his neck. It gave a brilliant flash, and it disappeared.

Never again will I question such tales. Never again will I shun someone for what they do, even if they may be a con-artist. I fear I will not sleep tonight, nor for many nights afterwards.

Gindrala Helen


End file.
